Jim Harbaugh once interviewed Chris Ash for a position at Stanford

Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is familiar with Jim Harbaugh and what he has done as a head coach on the collegiate. Once upon a time, Ash even interviewed for a job while Harbaugh was at Stanford.

The Jim Harbaugh and Chris Ash connection goes beyond the summer swarm tour and the Scarlet Knights' attempt at fencing the garden state. In fact, the two go as far back as Harbaugh's time at Stanford.

When asked if Ash had ever spoken with Harbaugh before, he admitted that once upon a time he interviewed for a position when Harbaugh was a head coach at Stanford.

"When he was at Stanford he actually interviewed me for a job," Ash said. "I can't remember what year it was, I was at San Diego State at the time, 2007 maybe, something like that. It's the only time I've had a real conversation with him."

While both coaches this week will unlikely have any sort of deep conversation before or after the game, Ash has been keeping a close eye on the coaching career of Harbaugh. While there is a link with the two at Stanford, it even extends beyond the PAC 12.

In fact, both coaches were able to get their start in the Pioneer League.

"He's a guy I have a lot of respect for," Ash said about Harbaugh. "I've followed his career, he started his head coaching football career in the Pioneer League at the University of San Diego. It's where I cut my teeth in coaching at Drake, San Diego and Drake played each other. Anytime you've got a guy like Jim Harbaugh starting off in the Pioneer League, it's a big deal. I've followed his career and the success that he's had there, as he moved on to Stanford and the great job that he did there."